Pip and Button

Under a strawberry patch where the leaves made a green umbrella, two tiny mice lived side by side. Pip was quick and curious, with whiskers that twitched like little paintbrushes. Button was careful and kind, with round ears and a soft gray coat. They shared crumbs, shared jokes, and shared a little yellow thimble for a chair.

One bright, breezy morning, their friend Tilly the field mouse came hurrying over, squeaking, "Oh no! My blue ribbon!"

Tilly's ribbon was special. It was a long, sky-colored strip she used to tie a bow above her burrow so she could always find her door. Her grandma had given it to her the day the wildflowers bloomed.

"Where did it go?" Pip asked, standing tall on his tiptoes.

"The wind took it," Tilly sniffled. "It flew right over the buttercups."

Pip puffed out his little chest. "We'll fetch it for you!" he said.

Button peered across the meadow. He could see the ribbon flipping and dancing, skipping from dandelion to dandelion. Far away, a stream winked and splashed. Button’s paws felt a little wobbly at the thought of the water, but he squeezed Tilly’s paw and nodded. "We'll bring it home," he said softly.

Off went Pip and Button, scampering through grass that smelled like sunshine and mint. Baby daisies nodded hello. A ladybug rode the ribbon for a moment, then flew away with a tiny red flash. Soon they reached the stream, where water giggled around smooth gray stones. The ribbon had snagged on an old stump on the other side.

Pip hopped to the first stone. "Easy!" he called. The water splished his toes, and he laughed. Button took a deep breath. He stepped onto the next stone. It was cold and slippery, and the water made a shhh sound that tickled his ears.

"I’ll hold your paw," said Pip. He held on tight, and Button’s wobbles turned into a careful shuffle.

They reached the last stone, but the ribbon was still a little too far. "If only we had a boat," Pip sighed.

Button’s eyes brightened. On the bank lay a big, shiny leaf and a small wooden spoon someone had dropped near the wildflowers. "What about a leaf boat?" he said. "We can tie it with grass so we don’t float away."

"Brilliant, Button!" Pip cheered.

They pushed the leaf into the water and tied a long, braided grass rope to a root. Pip used the spoon as a paddle. Swish, swish. The leaf slid across the bubbly stream, making tiny rings that sparkled. A dragonfly zoomed past, humming as if it liked their plan.

"Almost there," Button whispered. He reached and grabbed the ribbon with both paws. The ribbon was cool and slippery. The leaf bobbed. The grass rope tugged. "Got it!"

The wind gave a playful puff. The ribbon billowed like a little flag. "Hold on!" Pip cried. He paddled hard, and Button gently looped the ribbon around his middle so it wouldn’t fly off again. Together they swished back to the stones and tumbled onto the bank, laughing and panting.

They hurried home, resting now and then to tuck the ribbon under a pebble or wrap it around a thistle so the breeze wouldn’t carry it away. Halfway across the meadow, Button spotted a blackberry, shiny and purple. "For courage," he said, breaking it in two. They sat in the soft grass and shared the sweet juice, purple smiles and all.

At last they reached Tilly’s burrow. Pip and Button lifted the ribbon high. "Special delivery!" Pip announced.

Tilly’s eyes went bright as dew. "You found it!" she squeaked. She hugged them both at once, which made their whiskers tickle together.

They tied the ribbon above her door in a neat bow. It fluttered happily in the breeze, a blue smile in the green meadow.

"How did you cross the stream?" Tilly asked, pouring nut-tea into tiny acorn cups.

"Button thought of a boat," Pip said, with a proud grin at his friend. "And we paddled together."

Button blushed and patted Pip’s paw. "Pip held my hand on the stones," he said. "That helped me be brave."

They sat on the warm earth, sipping tea and nibbling honey crumbs. The ribbon danced a little over their heads. Pip and Button leaned back against the strawberry stems, paws touching.

"Big stream," Pip said.

"Small mice," Button said.

They both smiled. "Just right for friends," they said together.